Zambezi Basin plan aims to unlock billions for climate resilience

A bold step toward water and food security
The regional initiative is set to impact over 50 million people and half of SADC countries through climate-resilient investments and livelihoods support
Ellanie Smit
  • 13 Hours Ago

A regional drive to transform the future of southern Africa’s most important water system is gaining pace, as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Zambezi Watercourse Commission launch a major investment initiative aimed at strengthening climate resilience, water security and livelihoods across the Zambezi River Basin.

The initiative, known as the Strategic Basin Investment Programme (SBIP), was formally introduced at an inception meeting bringing together governments, development partners and regional stakeholders. It is expected to unlock multi-million-dollar investments to address critical infrastructure and development needs.

Spanning eight countries -Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe - the basin supports more than 50 million people, many of whom rely on rain-fed agriculture, with 44% living below the poverty line.

ZAMCOM executive secretary Felix Ngamlagosi said implementing the Strategic Plan for the Zambezi Watercourse (2018–2040) would require an estimated U$28.3 billion across 282 projects, highlighting both the scale of ambition and the opportunity for investment. He called for innovative financing models, stronger partnerships and diversified funding sources.


Bankable projects

The SBIP aims to translate this pipeline into bankable projects, focusing on gaps in water storage, irrigation, water supply infrastructure and hydropower. It also seeks to strengthen food systems, protect ecosystems and improve livelihoods across the basin.

Dumisani Mndzebele of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said the basin spans half of the bloc’s 16 member states, making its success central to regional integration. He added that the programme’s water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus approach would support sustainable industrialisation and poverty reduction.

ZAMCOM chair Alex George described the initiative as a “new beginning” for regional cooperation and development.

The FAO is playing a catalytic role, with subregional coordinator Patrice Talla confirming an initial U$250 000 allocation through its Technical Cooperation Programme to support development of the initiative. He said the funding is intended to unlock larger flows of public, private and climate finance, amid growing pressure from climate variability and environmental challenges.

Aligned with the Zambezi Strategic Plan and FAO’s broader development framework, the programme is built around four pillars: infrastructure investment, livelihood support, environmental protection and water resource management.

The meeting also included participation from other transboundary river basin organisations across the SADC region, signalling interest in replicating similar models.

As climate risks intensify and development pressures grow, the programme marks a shift from planning to implementation, positioning the Zambezi River Basin as a focal point for large-scale investment and regional resilience.